An adult GRAY-HOODED GULL, first noted on July 24th, with its identity confirmed on July 29th, had been present daily around the beach and boardwalk at Coney Island in Brooklyn through Wednesday. There was only a third hand report from early Thursday morning and no subsequent sightings either on Thursday or so far today. The gull had been around the beach adjacent to the end of West 12th Street often near a plastic palm tree sprinkler. One or more immature LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS have also been present with the other gulls foraging for scraps on the beach and along the boardwalk. It might be best now to scrutinize Laughing Gull flocks as they work north along the coast during post breeding dispersal watching for the somewhat paler gull with the striking wing pattern.

Decent numbers of shorebirds have been appearing in the region and it is unfortunate that our best venue for them, the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, is not in prime condition to host good numbers at this point as the water level on the East Pond remains much too high. If you wish to voice your concerns over the pond's condition you could call Linda Canzenelli at Gateway National Park at (718) 354-4665. It is not too late to get this valuable resource for shorebirds into productive condition.

HUDSONIAN GODWIT has been seen sporadically at the bay on the East Pond usually along the east side north of the Raunt as carefully viewed from the Big John's Pond overlook. Two SOLITARY SANDPIPERS were on Big John's Pond Tuesday, 30 or more STILT SANDPIPERS have been appearing around the Raunt. There is also a little shoreline at the south end of the East Pond and the West Pond too has been attracting some shorebirds at high tide among which have been PECTORAL SANDPIPER and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. Today from a boat out in the bay 2 MARBLED GODWITS were seen on one of the islands.

Out at Cupsogue County Park in West Hampton Dunes a good variety of shorebirds last Saturday featured a MARBLED GODWIT and 4 WHIMBREL with the godwit still there on Tuesday. Also present there have been 3 or 4 BLACK TERNS and a high count of 63 ROYAL TERNS between Cupsogue and adjacent Pike's Beach last Saturday. Unlike Jamaica Bay this area is best for shorebirds at low tide on the mudflats north of the Cupsogue County Park parking lot and along the bay at Pike's Beach.

A boat about 20 miles south of Montauk last week encountered 2 POMARINE JAEGERS, 4 GREAT and 40 CORY'S SHEARWATERS and a good number of WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS. Also seen were 4 species of sharks and 3 species of sea-turtle.

To phone in reports on Long Island, call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126, or weekdays call Tom Burke at (212) 372-1483.

This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.